Morag Kuc

Aberdeen medical students will take the stage at this year’s TechFest to show how their research could revolutionise the way common acute and chronic diseases are treated in the future.

The Tomorrow’s Doctors: Medical Students Leading Cutting-Edge Research session is hosted by the Aberdeen Student Society for Academic Medicine, with undergraduates specialising in a range of clinical studies as part of their degree.

The presentation will include a series of short talks followed by questions to find out more about the students’ research interests.

The seminar is presented by The University of Aberdeen, which actively encourages its medical students to pursue careers in clinical academia.

Ross Porter, who is in his 4th year of study, will be sharing his findings on how the immune system affects cancer development in the gullet.

He said: “This event is unique as this research has never been shared with the general public before, and I look forward to the thought-provoking discussions that will inevitably unfold. It’s a great opportunity to see some of the cutting-edge research medical students pursue alongside their medical studies at the university.”

One of the aims of TechFest 2017, which is supported by joint principal funders Shell and BP, is to engage young people in the four main STEM subjects and encourage them to go on to follow a career which utilises these skills by demonstrating they are fun and relevant in day to day life.

Alies Bartelds, acting managing director of TechFest, said: “We are very excited to have medical students from The University of Aberdeen sharing their research with us as part of this year’s festival.

“This event highlights the importance of research skills in day to day clinical practice and provides a real insight into how the studies of today’s student doctors can shape the future of medical treatment.”

The Tomorrow’s Doctors: Medical Students Leading Cutting-Edge event will be held on Wednesday, September 20 at 6pm at the University of Aberdeen’s Fraser Noble Building. Admission is free.

Book tickets online at www.boxofficeaberdeen.com or call Aberdeen Box Office on 01224 641122. For more information on TechFest 2017, visit www.techfest.org.uk or follow TechFest on Facebook andTwitter.